New in: Asian Beauty Part 3 - Sheet Masks

When I started looking for sheet masks recommendations, these were some of the most frequently mentioned, especially Black Pearl and so far, from those that aren't LE, it's my favourite. By the way, these are Taiwanese.

Fit and sheet: The sheet was big, still it stuck to the face well, except it kept slipping down just above my lips. This one is thinner than the others I tried, but so heavily saturated that it drips when you're taking it out of the packaging. It's one of those that's wrapped in an additional foil in the pack, which I find a bit excessive.

Essence: it's an non-sticky essence that is very quickly absorbed into the skin.

Scent: It smells freshly floral, exactly like lilies-of-the-valley which appealed to me.

The effects were fantastic, actually very similar to TFS Snow White mask, which was the first sheet mask that actually did more than just moisturise (I wasn't that impressed by sheet masks before that, but I only used western versions, which I now find very basic). My skin felt incredibly soft, it was more even because it reduced redness (including under my eyes, so my circles) and it had a nice healthy look. Loved it and I will repurchase it.

I got this one because of the positive feedback, since aside from Black Pearl, it was the most frequent recommendation.Essence: milky, but like at Black Pearl it absorbs fast and it's not sticky.Scent is nothing special. Straight from the pack it smells like something in our vineyard, but I can't smell it on my face.Effect: Like Black Pearl it made my skin very soft, but in other respects it wasn't that impressive. My skin felt good and moisturised, but it wasn't more even or radiant.

Price: eBay, 2.03 $. Seller house_of_fashion.2013, which is so far my favourite because it took only 10 days to arrive (I purchased a tracking number, so it was sign for) and I got an additional mask.

INNISFREE it's a real squeeze mask

Green tea

Not just Petra, but many others state these are some of the best sheet masks, at least from those that are inexpensive. My main concern was the alcohol on the 4. place, but it has glycerine on the 2. so they probably counteract each other in terms of drying out the skin, but still if you're sensitive to alcohol, skip this one.

Fit was pretty good. It's a bit small around the eyes, but still passable. It's good around the nose area and a bit big on the lower part. Sheet is classic.

Essence: this one was like light serum-toner. When I used it, my skin was dry, but not overly so and I left it on for over an hour, basically I waited for the sheet to become dry meaning I got the most out it. Almost all the essence absorbed, only a thin layer of a slightly sticky serum was left behind, which was still there by the morning.

Scent: It smells fresh, like green tea, but there is alcohol mixed in.

Effect: In terms of overall effects, this is a basic moisturising treatment and that's it. Despite the green tea it didn't reduce redness like MBD Black Pearl. It's ok, but nothing special. I'd like to try rose version, since I hear it's one of the most popular ones.

Price: varies from 0.80 $ per piece on TesterKorea to 1.3 $ on eBay. Jolse has a pack of three for about 4$.

THE FACE SHOP Disney Snow White Brightening Face Mask Pack

TFS had a whole limited edition with Disney princesses and I got this mask because I really wanted the Snow White packaging- and its effect sparked my interest in Asian sheet masks because it was the first I tried that didn't just moisturise and felt like a waste of time. It's a described as a brightening mask and among ingredients is niacinamide which should be able to do just that. In the collection there also Ariel and Sleeping Beauty.

Fit: The fit was perfect around the eyes, but it's too big on the lower part, still it fit around the mouth much better than most others I've tried. The sheet is classic.

Essence feels slippery, watery, but it's not super light and once absorbed it doesn't feel sticky.

Scent is nothing special, somewhat chemical, but not offensive.

Effect: I left it on for a bit over an hour and once the sheet started to feel too dry I took it off. My skin absorbed most of the essence, so only a bit was left still lingering on the skin, but by the morning it was gone. My skin was left baby soft, it hasn't felt that way in years, it was completely hydrated, my foundation applied so much nicer that day and my skin looked more healthy, even my circles looked less red than usual. The skin looked brighter, perkier and I've said in my monthy favourites that this mask acted like a reset button because after than it just started behaving so much better than in the past years.

Since I liked it so much and this is LE, I checked which TFS mask is similar and I think it's The Solution Mask Sheet in Brightening which also contains niacinamide and pearl extract. Review is bellow and it is indeed very similar, however, I found another dupe - My Beauty Diary Black Pearl.

I got this one for fun because I found it by chance on eBay when I was looking for My Beauty Diary, since this brand also originates from Taiwan. It's the only black sheet mask I've tried and if you thought white ones are funny, this one makes you 100% robbery ready. The ingredients look nice, I was especially happy to see niacinamide high on the list, but I don't know what's the percentage is in this one. These also come in Cruella de Vil and Ursula version.

Fit: It has quite large cut outs for both the eyes and mouth, but despite looking like it'll be ill-fitting, it's actually a mask that folds nicely where it's too big, like a soft blanket, so the fit was comfortable. The sheet felt softer and more comfortable than others.

The essence is super slippery, so this one is one of those that's hard to hold and unfold, but I managed. It absorbs pretty much instantly in the skin and it's only slightly sticky in a thicker application, yet the sheet itself didn't dry out even a bit in the hour I had it on.

The scent is laundry clean.

Effect: It left my skin feeling comfortable, moisturised and a bit brighter/healthy looking, but the effect wasn't as strong as at TFS Snow White or MBD Black Pearl. Still very likeable and I loved the comfortable sheet.

I had especially high hopes for this one because I heard some big raves about it and I really expected a great honey scent, since the moisturiser and essence oil in this line smell divine, but it wasn't all that special.

Fit and sheet: It's the first hydrogel mask I've tried and it's pretty weird. It feels like a thin jelly and it's a fragile thing, so you need to be careful how you handle it (I tore mine with a nail at the forehead). It's in two parts, each protected in with plastic and it sticks to skin really well, so you can do pretty much anything while it's on the face. It even looks kinda cool because it has tiny glitters and a honeycombed gold-ish design. The fit was fine around the eyes, a bit strange around the nose because it's cut quite high and it's very thin in the part above the lips, so not much is covered there.

Essence: There is so much essence it drips when you take the mask out and so much is still left in the pack, you can easily transfer it to a mini bottle for later use. The essence is clear, but slightly sticky, especially after it dries a bit. Even when I took the mask off, in the morning I had so much of the product on the skin.

Scent: Crushing my hopes, this one unfortunately it doesn't smell like anything, so that was a bit of a let-down to me (the cream and essence oil smell divine!).

Effect: Morning wash revealed a smooth, soft skin with a nice amount of natural radiance. A mini spot by the nose was significantly diminished, but apart from really nourished skin, there wasn't much difference. It's nice, but My Beauty Diary and TFS win for me.

Another one I got because of raves and promises of a delightful honey scent, but it's another one that's mostly just nice. It's pretty affordable, though.

Fit: It's a classic paper mask that is big, it covered a couple of centimetres of my hair line too and it was equally too big around the chin area too.

Essence: The essence was like a toner, so light, but in such massive quantities, it felt a bit sticky when I removed the mask. I left it on for about 40 minutes and it was still wet in some places. There is some essence left in the bag, but less than at others.

Scent: I got this one primarily because of claims it smells of honey - it does. It's just faint and more like cookies with honey (gingerbreads without ginger).

Effect: By the morning my skin absorbed the rest of the essence and was left smooth, radiant and happy. Nice one, but there are some better.

Naruko are the ones I heard strong raves about in terms of effect (these are also from Taiwan), especially Snail one appears to be best for most people. I also picked up the Taiwan Magnolia primarily because I heard from a reviewer her lines looked diminished, while I got Collagen booster for free.

Snail essence intense hydra repair

Fit: The fit is some of the worse I tried for me, it was small around the eyes, so a bit of essence ended up in my eye and the rest was very big, so this one really didn't fit me nicely. Like My Beauty Diary and Banila's mask it's on an additional plastic sheet that keep it in shape while in the pack.

Essence: It's a slippery mask when you take it out the packaging, actually like you'd expect from the name. The Essence is somewhat "snail stuff"-like, but not in a gross supper slimy way and it's heavier than at others, more like a proper serum. I took the mask off an hour later and once the remains dried on the skin, it was like I'm wearing a tight layer of something around the edges of the face.

Scent: it's got a strong floral scent.

Effects: The mask left my skin soft, but not as MBD Black Pearl and it was a lot more hydrated (I used it because my skin was flaky dry). It's ok, but not my favourite, so I just wasn't as blown away by it as other reviewers.

Fit: regular sheet that fits ok, but it's cut strangely around the eyes.

Essence: very light, like a toner and it absorbs fast leaving nothing behind.

Scent: similar to Nestea ice tea.

Effects: like Taiwan Magnolia this leaves nothing behind as it completely absorbs into the skin. So it's again not a mask you'd use on its own, but it needs additional care, otherwise at least my skin starts feeling tight. So it doesn't leave the skin moisturised and nourished, but it did look a bit better, with less redness and it was smoother.

I call this one "the Hannibal Lecter look". If SexyLook makes you look like a masked thief, this has the oh, so charming look of a serial killer. Or a mummy, I haven't decided yet. It's for all skin types, especially skin experiencing problems with dullness, dryness, and/or signs of aging, plus it promises a superior brightening effects. As I said I got it because I heard it at least temporarily diminishes fine lines.

Fit: The design is similar to Mooya masks which I've reviewed before, so it also has ear flaps and a special part for the chin, which also attaches to the ears. The fit is really good one me, it's just right around the eyes, it's not too wrong around the mouth and it's ok on the nose too. It's not too big and the ear flaps keep it very secure. The sheet feels a bit softer than others I tried with the exception of SexyLook. I left it on for an hour, but it was still saturated with product.

Essence: Unlike others I tried it has a milky essence, which is very quickly absorbed into the skin and doesn't leave anything behind. Within minutes my skin is dry and matte.

Scent: is very likeable. It's a floral creamy scent and it's spa-like to me.

Effect: Hmm... this one was a strange one. It had a brilliant effect of evening the skin and made it look closer to that coveted porcelain look despite my freckles, however, it lasted about ten minutes. Why? As I said above the essence is absorbed so fast and it was like I didn't use anything at all. After about five minutes my skin started to feel tight and I thought maybe it's just the essence drying like at the snail version, but since there was literally nothing on the skin (it was like I just washed my face with a gel cleanser), I realised my skin is screaming for a moisturiser and a lot of it. The instructions do say that you should continue with you other skin care items, but at all others I didn't feel the need for it because my skin was properly moisturised. I applied Banila essence oil because my skin felt uncomfortably tight. That great even skin effect was replaced with my normal looking skin, meaning redness returned to its regular places. It didn't do much on my lines and definitely less than Secret Key and Etude Patches (review bellow). This one just made me feel like I need another sheet mask, just this time a more nourishing one. On the plus side, it left my skin feeling smooth, which persisted to the next day. It might be nice for oily skin, though.

Do I even need explain why I got this one? I didn't expect much, but it was one of my favourites, particularly because it's the one that actually smelled somewhat like honey.

Fit: This has a regular type of sheet and it's a bit strangely cut. The eyes are a bit too small, the part above the lips is too large and it's too big for me, but apart from being very close to my eye, it was fine.

Essence: This one is a bit perplexing because at first glance it feels so light and fast absorbing, but once I took the mask off it started to feel heavier and heavier, almost like I applied a heavy Nivea cream and it sat on top. By the morning there was still essence on my skin.

Scent: Honey! Finally I found at least one sheet that smells close to honey. This is how I expected Tosowong and Banila to smell like. It's also stronger than at other masks, so I got to smell it all the time it was on my face.

Effect: That heavy feeling essence felt perfect for very dry skin and mine was nicely nourished. It was also softer than usual, but not as much as with Snow White and MYB Pearl masks, still I loved this one. Unfortunately it's a LE.

Price: eBay, $8.40 for 3. Seller was seoulcosmetics and the first parcel got lost, but I had it shipped again and purchased an additional tracking number. In total I waited 78 days (26 days for the second parcel). I don't blame the seller though, who was super nice and asked me first if the parcel arrived.

SECRET KEY Gold Racoony Hydro Gel Mask Pack

I couldn't resist the cuteness that is this mask. It's another hydrogel one, so similar Banila, but it's so much different than anything I've ever tried, so it's quite a unique experience.

Fit and sheet: Like I said it's a hydro gel mask, but it's got little in common with Banila one. It's a thick, almost plastic-feeling material and not as much jelly like Banila. Because of that is' much more stiff and it doesn't hug the contours of the face as well as a proper sheet mask and it actually fell off my face when I was trying to put it on, but after it warms a bit on the face, it sticks on better than regular sheets. It's in two parts exactly like Banila, so you can customise the fit much better and have a smoother application.

Essence: The shock of this was that when I took it out from the pack, it was almost dry, but the essence was actually just on the gel and protected with a plastic wrap. Hydro gels are supposed to be superior to regular paper masks because they lock in the moisture much better and provide the highest level of absorption. What little essence was in the pack and on the plastic that held the mask felt very, very light and absorbed fast into the skin. The gel stayed moist long, after an hour it still felt completely fresh.

Scent: It is a very fragranced mask, in fact far more than any other I tried. Sheet masks tend to have such a faint scent I barely notice it when I'm wearing them, but I could smell this one all the time in was on my face - I actually enjoy that, but those sensitive to fragrance, maybe avoid this one. The scent is floral, to me quite pleasant, but as I said it's strong.

Effect: I liked this one a lot. My skin looked much better in the morning, though it wasn't anything special, but it looked more even, redness was toned down, spots looked diminished and the skin looked more fresh/plump. This mask has some extra cut outs for the eyes and lips, which I used on my smile lines the next day and it definitely helped the area look more plump and filled up which lasted a couple of days. Elasticity returned too, since my skin bounced back like it used to. I think this one is repurchase worthy. I really want the Racoony patches, but I'm avoiding ordering anything now, since I had so many bad experience with shipping times from South Korea in the last months.

I'll openly admit that I'm freaking out about my smile lines, by that I mean nasal labial folds because they just appeared overnight and I'm pretty diligent with my skin care, just not anti-ageing yet (apart from Estee Lauder ANR), so I got these more as a joke, but also a bit in desperation, still I was surprised to see actual, albeit temporary, results.

Fit: These are hydrogel patches, meaning they stick to the skin very well and you can do basically anything with them. They are cut pretty much perfectly to fit the area from the nose to down the sides of the mouth, so the fit is very comfortable and good. I enjoyed wearing these, not just because of the fit and security, but also because they are clear and you feel less of an idiot wearing these than a proper sheet mask.

Essence: Right out the packaging these feel very slippery, but the essence itself is light and it absorbs very quickly. These remained moist for about 45 minutes then the edges completely dried up, so I removed them.

Scent: These have zero scent.

Effect: As I said these weren't completely gimmicky. Obviously they didn't erase smile lines, but they appeared reduced. On one side it was barely visible and on the other it looked much less intense, so by intensely hydrating the area, these have a satisfying temporary effect which lasted a couple of days. I liked these, but they are expensive, so I'm thinking about getting either Secret Key or Petitfree patches where you get 30 for 10$ and I plan to use them every day.

This one comes heavily recommended to all who love honey scents and I have to say it was definitely one of my absolute favourites. The raves were true and now I want a proper pack of these, plus I'd love to try other versions Black Honey, Rose Gold Honey, Whitening Honey, Ginseng Honey and Butter Honey.

Fit: This had one of the best fits out of all the masks I tried, I only had to fold it a bit at the cheeks. The sheet is thin like at My Beauty Diary.

Essence: It's like a gel serum in the pack, but it doesn't feel heavy on the skin. In big quantities it remains a bit sticky. There is a lot of essence left in the pack, so you can transfer it and use it later.

Scent: Real proper honey, especially in the pack. On the face it's quite a faint scent, but every now and then I'd get a delightful whiff of honey. It's about the same scent as Banilla's Miss Flower Mrs Honey line.

Effect: This just made my skin look fantastic, so it has very similar effects as MBD Black Pearl and TSF Snow White in a way that the skin looks more even, with less pronounced redness, it's smooth, hydrated and happy, but this gives that bit extra and that is that it temporarily plumps up the skin and diminishes the look of my smile lines. I just really loved this one, too bad it's one of the more expensive ones.

I got this one because it says it's got the same effect and main ingredients as the Snow White mask, which is one of my favourites, but unlike that one, Solutions has alcohol very high on the list. It's one of TFS permanent masks and these come in many versions like Hydrating with Hyaluronic Acid, Radiance with Vitamin C and Pore Care with Tannins.

Fit: This one fits my face almost perfectly and it's the only mask that had no creases, so I loved it, though it covered my hairline for about a centimeter or two. It's a very thin sheet (0.21 mm) and it looks almost transparent on the face when wet, but as it dries it becomes opaque. The fit alone makes me want to buy more of these.

Essence: A serum-gel type of thick essence that needs time to absorb and feels nice on the skin. It's heavier than at SW. Despite the high content of alcohol, I didn't even notice it as it wasn't drying, nor could I smell it.

Scent: is nothing special, though it is noticeable. It's just a sweet chemical scent.

Effect: like I assumed, the effects are pretty much like at Snow White version. My skin was incredibly soft and smooth, hydrated, more even (though less than with SW) and just in general in great condition. Foundation applied like a dream after using this mask. I'll most likely repurchase it and try other versions.

I got this one for free, so I have no idea about the brand, but my quick search revealed it's a brightening mask with Damascus roses and it's meant for dry skin. The only place I found these to buy is on Amorepacificmall where the price is 4000 KRW (about 3.5$)

TL;DR VERSION

My favourites so far that don't just moisturise the skin and nothing more are:
- Papa Recipe Bombee Honey Mask (just overall fantastic: moisturising, makes the skin more even and plumper)- My Beauty Diary Black Pearl (aside from moisturising, it reduces redness, makes the skin softer and gives a healthy glow),- The Face Shop Disney Snow White (does pretty much the same thing as MBD),
- The Face Shop Solutions Pearl (same as Snow White, except a bit less brightening, but with a great sheet)- Secret Key Gold Racoony (because it plumps up the skin, therefore temporarily hiding fine lines),
-Etude House Laugh Line Patches (same as Gold Racoony)
- though it wasn't as impressive as other brightening masks I like, Sexylook Disney Villains because the sheet is so comfy.- Tonymoly Pokemon was fab too, but it's mostly just nourishing.
Notice how most them look so gimmicky because of the cute packaging? And yet these were the ones that managed to impress me most.